Second chances or second mistakes?
by Berethsong
Summary: After learning of the death of her sister Arya and her half-brother Jon Snow, Alayne decides that there is no place for Sansa Stark in the world but when she wakes up in the wolfswood she realizes that she has an opportunity to save Sansa's family and Sansa herself.
1. Chapter 1

Alayne

"Gods are good the Lord Commander of the Night Watch died, you knew?" when the words came out of Randa's mouth for a moment Alayne thought he had heard wrong, the Lord Commander?, Randa had told her that the new Lord commander was the bastard son of Lord Eddard Stark and he could not be dead, everyone can die stupid, Alayne told herself, how had he died? Had he fallen off the wall? Had they been the savages?

"W-What?" Alayne asked, not knowing what else he could say.

"The boy, the bastard of Lord Eddard Stark, betrayed his vows or so it is said, he let the savages cross the wall! Can you believe it?" No, she answered herself, Alayne didn't believe it, Jon would never do that, It was an evil lie just like the one they did against the father, they accused them of traitors like Robb but she knew it was a lie, it was all a lie to insult the honor of the father and Robb and now also that of his half-brother Jon, lies, lies, lies, Alayne thought bitterly, it was the fault of the Lannisters or the Boltons.

"No, I don't think so" Alayne answered when she found her voice, pretended to try to fix her hair to eliminate a lonely tear, which ran from the corner of her eye. Jon Snow was Sansa Stark's half-brother, not Alayne's. , she had no dead brothers, only her father, Petyr, Jon Snow was nobody for her and she should not cry.

"mmm, the poor boy must have gone mad, in addition to letting the savages in, he wanted the clock to fight to recover Winterfell of the Bolton, he had the intention of usurping his sister Lady Arya and her lord husband" Arya? She is alive and married?

"Arya would never marry a Bolton, they killed her brother" the words came out before she could stop them.

"Lady Arya" corrected Randa put with a smile, how can she be smiling? "Also poor Lady Sansa married with a Lannister, the imp, no more no less" but Lady Sansa didn't want a Lannister, everything except a Lannister, Arya Stark would not want a Bolton, they betrayed and killed King Robb, Would her husband be good to her? How was Lord Tyrion with Sansa?, the Boltons are evil, they take the skin from the people, the thought gave chills.

"When? When did die?" Alayne asked. She did not want to think about Lady Arya and her husband.

"Who?, Lady Arya or the bastard boy" Randa looked at her as if she could see through her, her secrets.

"Lady Arya is ..." she could not finish the sentence her head was spinning the tears were falling freely now, Alayne had heard things but father told her that they were rumors and lies of the smallfolk that didn't deserve her attention, she would marry Lord Harrold soon and would go home, she had heard that Lord Stannis had died and that the Boltons had killed his army, the winter prevented the news from traveling as fast as it should, her father had told her, that must have been a few moons ago.

"The gods took Lady Arya after having her heir" Randa approached her gently and put an arm around her shoulders, as he tried to comfort her "I'm sorry honey, I'm so sorry so much, I was have to make sure, you were really you, I'm sorry for your loss, Lady ... Sansa" Alayne left Lady Myranda as if she were burning her, why she call me Sansa? I'm Alayne, who else would be?, but even if Sansa was dead... Alayne wanted to know ... know what happened to what was left of Sansa's family, how her half-brother died, how be called Lady Arya's baby...

"The boy, who killed him!" Her voice was firm and her face was hard despite the tears.

Randa tried to tell her to rest and anything else that Alayne didn'tt hear, "Who was it!, the Lannisters or the Boltons?" Randa looked at her surprised as if there was something wrong with her.

"I'm very sorry, I'm afraid that what your brother did is treason his motives could be noble but treason after all, he try to get the Night´s Watch to attack the Boltons, he endangered the life of his brothers of oath, they weren't neither Lannisters nor Bolton nor Freys, he was executed for treason by his brothers of the watch" those were not his brothers- she wanted to tell her -his brothers were Robb, Bran and Rickon, then Alayne or Sansa? wish that all the traitors died, that winter turned them into ice, that they died of hunger or that the wall of ice fell on them, Jon wasn't a traitor she was sure of that, his false brothers lied, they called him a traitor and killed him like to Lord Eddard a long time ago.

"I thought you deserved to know the truth Lady Sansa, I'm so sorry, my father will protect you, everyone will protect you, and no one will give you to the queen..."

That's not true Alayne wanted to shout at her, she started running, she wanted to go far, far away, away from the liar, Myranda Royce was as lying as everyone, no one can protect Sansa, after all her dead father and her dead brother could not, there is nothing for her, not even a sister or a half-brother, how cruel were the gods when she learned that Arya was live, was too late, she was lying in the cold crypts of Winterfell, will she have a statue too?, like aunt Lyanna?, shook the thought as soon as it came, there is nothing for Sansa Stark only Cersei Lannister, only her dwarf husband ... no one who loves her, not even her aunt loved her, preferred to throw her to her death than to have her near, his cousin Robert would also leave soon, the maester had told her there was nothing left to do, why could not Cercei Lannister or Walder Frey die?, she heard the voice screaming behind her.

"Lady Sansa ... .Lady Sansa" didn't know at what moment her head began to spin or at what moment her feet stopped and she fell on the cold snow, I am not Sansa, Sansa is dead, only Alayne is left, but the pain in her heart was not from Alayne nor the memories, a girl playing with her siblings throwing snow at them, a girl sitting on her father's knees while telling her stories, a girl whose mother brushed her hair, I want to go home, I want to be with them alone with them, you do not belong with them- said a voice- Sansa belongs to them not Alayne, she look up and there was a huge white wolf with scarlet eyes as bright as rubies, have I seen you before?, she had wanted to ask him but the wolf jumped to where she was, then it was all darkness.

Alayne woke up shaking her head, it was hard to see clearly, as soon as her sight cleared enough she stayed still as a statue, the white wolf was nowhere but this was like one of the places of her dreams, she felt like if she had been in this place, ... maybe in another life I was here, she was still dreaming surely, she was in a forest, she remembered two children, one with auburn hair and another with dark hair running while throwing snowballs, while huge wolves ran with they, yes , that was in another life, in another life this forest scared her would never get away from her father or the guards while they were here, she would never be like a certain brown-haired girl who ran trying to stay close to her brothers or looking for adventures, Alayne has brown hair, she kept walking among the trees was a strange dream, there was no snow, I wish there would be snow, so it would be more beautiful, she look up at the huge trees, the gray clouds in the sky, she wish she could stay in this place forever, but she hear noises and to their horror it sounded as if they were close, too close, she had not paid attention because she look at the clouds, I got caught, they will take me to the queen, this had not been a dream wasn't in the wolfswood, she was still trapped in her mountain of stone and ice, had been lost while running and now they will take her to the queen, lose her head as Lord Eddard , like Robb, she was crying hysterically now, she put on the hood of her cape as if that could hide it, she wanted to run but she didn't know where ...

"Hey girl, you're good? Are you hurt?" she froze when he heard the boy's voice, it sounded familiar in a strange way "Do you need help?" then she turned to face the voice and for a moment Alayne thought that she would faint, "it's a trap, trap, trap" this kid resembled the one of her dreams, the one that ran next to the boy with auburn hair.

"Sansa? Sansa, what are you doing here?" that's, they wanted her to fall into the trap, that's why they sent this boy to follow her, he looked a lot like Sansa's half-brother but Jon Snow must have been older when he died, this was a child, a liar.

"I'm not Sansa!, Alayne, my name is Alayne!" she shouted as she tried to back away, the boy got even closer to her, so in her attempt to escape she tripped on the hem of her thick dress making the cowl fell from his head, the boy stopped suddenly, Alayne, Alayne, I'm Alayne, she repeated softly on the floor.

"I ... I'm sorry Alayne, I thought you were my sister, do you need help?" The boy offered her a hand looked at her with confusion and curiosity as if it were a strange thing like an animal he had never seen, she ignore the gesture and stood alone.

"Don't come closer" she warned and the boy backed away, she was about to run when two people showed up, they were a boy with auburn hair and another one whom she would have preferred never to see again ...

"Jon what happens?, Who is ...?" The boy opened his eyes a lot when he saw her but Alayne didn't let him finish, she ran to him and hugged him so hard that almost made him fall, Sansa had wanted to see this boy since that day in the Great Sept of Baelor, this boy died a long time ago, like the other, Alayne understood, perhaps Alayne was also dead.

"Brother, brother" she said as sobbed on his shoulder, then released him gently and hugged the other boy, the dark haired, it was a silent embrace but as full of tears and tears as the first, it is very sweet to be dead, the idea calmed her down, until she saw him, a gray-eyed man approached with a confused expression, father, forgive me father, hug me, but the words never came out, she began to feel the forest swirling around her, she try to keep her eyes opened but could not, she felt that she was falling again but this time she didn't, someone was holding her, it was her father who had approached her, then everything was black again.


	2. Chapter 2

Jon

Jon could be sure that something more strange had never happened to him in all his life, everything had been normal at beginning, he had gone out with father, Robb, Theon, Jory and some other guards to hunt, Jon knew well that part of the forest, they used to go often so nobody worried when he left the group to try to hunt a rabbit, had tried to be as silenced as possible but had accidentally stepped on a handful of dried leaves that frightened the animal, the frustration made him kick the leaves and dry branches but just then someone who seemed to be quite close began to cry, curiosity made him go to where the noise was, he had only had to take a few steps to get where she was, if he hadn't been so focused on the rabbit he would have seen her from the beginning, he had thought that maybe it was just a lost girl after all many girls were lost in the woods, but this wasn't just a lost girl, she had been turning her back on him the first time he spoke to her to offer help, then she turned around suddenly and that was when the situation it became disturbing to say the least, the moment he saw her he would have sworn that she was Sansa, she had the same blue eyes, the ones that Sansa shared with her three brothers, the same high cheekbones, the same little nose but she then try ran and stumbled on her own dress was then when the hood fell from his head and the hair that came out wasn't auburn, her hair was brown almost black and she wasn't a ten years old girl, was the crying that made her look like a little girl, probably she had the same age as he and Robb and was even a little taller than both, he noticed this when she ran to Robb as if he were a family she met after the war, she even called him brother before crying even stronger on his shoulder, that had also scared him she passed from a crying of hysteria and fear of one of so much agony and sadness that had bristled his body, Robb had remained still as a statue while she hugged him, the same had happened after she released Robb and threw himself into his arms with her face totally wet with tears, for a moment he had wished to return the hug but then he saw his father arrive who was looking at them with a frown probably as confused as they, the girl began to fade and held her to keep her from falling, Robb tried to get out of his shock to help him hold her even though she was actually quite light, even so father came towards them in a couple of strides and lifted the unconscious girl easily "We must take her with Maester Luwin" he said worried and started to run towards the castle, carrying her in his arms, Jon wondered if at that moment he thought she was Sansa, now they was in the maester's tower outside the room where they were taking care of the girl, Robb and Theon had also admitted confusing her with his sister, they had been arguing for a while about whatever had happened in the wolfswood.

"A mad girl, what else would it be?" Theon said disinterestedly, which earned him a frown from Robb.

"She was just scared" Jon said brusquely "maybe she was looking for her brother, that's why she confused you" he said looking at Robb.

"Well she looks a lot like Sansa, do you think she was looking for a dark haired Robb?" Theon said smiling and rolling his eyes, it was all a jape for him, although had to admit that he used the same logic when made Robb the suggestion and now he felt stupid, at least Theon was jape not considering it as a real option "Maybe she even has a bastard half-brother with auburn hair" he said with a smile even bigger than the previous one.

"It's enough Theon" said Robb "It must be a noble girl who got lost in a trip, her clothes were too good for an common girl, that's why she's so scared" her clothes were not only good thought Jon, she should be roasting with clothes so heavy unless ...

"She's from the south, no one in the north would be in such heavy clothes, the weather is almost warm these days" Robb nodded in agreement, but then Lord Eddard and Maester Luwin left the room where they and Septa Mordane were taking care of the girl, Alayne, she had told her that that's her name at least a dozen times.

"The girl is fine father?" Robb asked, he seemed genuinely concerned about his well-being.

"Alayne, she told me her name was Alayne" Jon found it cruel to keep calling her the girl when she had made it more than clear what his name was, his father nodded before answering.

"Alayne is fine, she has a little fever but she is not hurt, she was very upset before fainting, so Maester Luwin says that we should only let her rest, he will be attentive in case a raven comes asking about a lost girl, now what happened guys ?, How did you meet her?" father asked looking at the three carefully.

"I tried to catch a rabbit, then I heard her crying and asked if I needed help but I confused her with Sansa and I started calling her that, she got angry and told me her name was Alayne, she seemed very scared as if ... if she feared someone would will find her because she try to run and stumbled. "

The father seemed a bit surprised by the latter, Jon had considered hiding his suspicions but decided it was better to be honest so he continued with his part of the story, then Robb intervened.

"She called me brother, she was very sad, maybe she was with her brother and she got lost, although she also hugged Jon" he said looking at Lord Eddard in the eyes, now his father seemed sadder for her than curious.

"She could be from the south, that's why she's so warm maybe she's not used to this climate," Theon added, repeating what Jon and Robb had discussed some time ago, the father nodded in agreement with his observation.

"Perhaps you should go to eat something, it's possible that she do not wake up soon, maybe it is the best, once rested and calmer she can tell us how to end in the wolfwoods" the three nodded and withdrew.

It was difficult to dine considering Arya and Bran's questions about the mysterious girl even Sansa was curious, before to congratulate them for acting as knights and rescued a lost maiden, for Jon it had been hard stop looking at her while looking for all the similarities that could finding between her and Alayne, Robb and Theon were also watching her closely, she was so distracted talking to Jeyne she didn't seem to notice at all the three pairs of eyes that looked at her with attention.

As soon as he finished his dinner, he went with Robb to his room, trying to escape as quickly as possible from his little brothers.

"That was very unusual" Robb said with a frown "It was as if I knew her, you know, when she hugged me I mean, as if her sadness was mine too, something similar had never happened to me"

Jon had felt the same for a moment, but he thought it was because he had never seen a girl cry so much, not even Sansa when Arya cut her hair had cried so much

"You felt sorry for her, that's normal, besides, she looks like Sansa, maybe she made you think about what would happen if she were the one who got lost" she hoped the gods would never allow something like this to happen with his sisters.

"It's not that, Jon, I mean if she reminded me of Sansa I thought it was her at first but ... forget it is nonsense" he shook his head and lay down on the bed.

Jon approached shortly after, they had never shared a room even when they were children, Lady Stark wouldn't allow it, even so they always used to go to each other's room, now they were three and ten years old so they kept slipping less but each time that they decided to share a room, they would do anything but sleep, they would play or escape to the kitchens or they would simply tell scary stories, but this time they just lay down and slept, it had been a strangely tired day after all.

Eddard

When Eddard Stark entered his rooms his Lady Wife waited for him, sitting on the edge of the bed reading a book, had promised to explain what had happened in the night when the children went to sleep that way they could talk without interruption, Catelyn had seen the girl and just as he was overwhelmed by the similarity that girl had with Sansa and in this case with herself.

"Cat" greeted his wife with a kiss and sat on the bed next to her.

"What happened Ned?, who was that girl?" she ask without wasting time.

"I don't know, the boys met her in the wolfswoods, offered her help but she was too terrified to pay attention to them, Jon says her name is Alayne and Robb says she called him brother, when I approached them she was crying and she fainted, so I decided to bring her in for the maester to review" his wife looked between compassionate and worried.

"Does that girl call him brother ?, Where could she have appeared, the girls not only appear in the woods, if it had been lost there would be people looking for her, besides Alayne is not a name from the north ..."

"That's right, because of her clothes, the guys think she's from the south, maybe she belongs to a family of merchants, she's certainly not dressed like a common girl, she wears a fox fur cape and even a silver bracelet"

Catelyn frowned deeply, now she looked distrustful "why does that girl look like my Sansa?, that's what I don't understand, for a moment I swear it was my daughter to bring in your arms, why she crossed with our son of all people?, there is something wrong with her, I can feel it, maybe someone ordered her to approach Robb and Theon intentionally maybe ... "

"I don't think so" he said shaking his head "she was genuinely scared and Maester Luwin said she had a fever that isn't something that could be faked, Jon said she was terrified and Robb say she started crying inconsolably" Ned tried to keep calm even when his wife got up and started walking around the room.

"So she has at least one brother, according to what Robb says, maybe you're right and she's just a lost girl, the gods want that to be Ned and that we find her family soon, we should inform all the houses, they could give it to her dead, girls don't survive in the forests alone"

Ned nodded, Cat was right especially if her relatives were merchants as he suspected, her parents could leave and never hear from her again, although he couldn't imagine a father simply giving up without knowing what happened to his girl.

"I don't think she had more than a day lost, her clothes were fine and she didn't look hungry or anything, tomorrow we can ask her anyway" whatever Alayne has to say Ned was quite interested in listening to her and knew that Cat and the children felt the same, he felt calmer thinking about her as Alayne instead of the girl who looks like Sansa, Ned never thought that he could ever confuse any of his children with another person until today and that scared him.


	3. Chapter 3

So I made a mistake when publishing this story and published the first chapter in Spanish, I just want to indicate that I am the same person who publishes this story as MayaSas in Ao3, I am publishing here for the first time and I confused the chapters since Spanish is my first language and I usually translate the chapters into English to publish them, I plan to publish this story in both languages on this site since there seems to be more Spanish speakers here, I regret the mistake and will withdraw the story if necessary, thanks for your understanding:)

Alayne

Alayne opened her eyes and had never felt more relieved, had horrible nightmares throughout the night, in one of them the auburn-haired boy was dying while she hugged him and begged him not to leave, in another the same boy approached her ... but he had the head of a gray wolf on his shoulders, the wolf's head growled at her, then he dreamed the dark-haired boy was kneeling on the ground with blood gushing from holes in his chest and neck, blood it was so much that there was a puddle under him, in another dream both boys and the Lord had their heads in pikes while the other ... the traitor laughed holding a bloody sword approaching her saying that now it was her turn, she couldn't wake up no matter how much she shouted in her dreams, now that her nightmare was over she started to look around and knew this place she knew it even though she belonged to her other life, she does not know how much time she spent quietly just looking at the wall next to her but then she can't stand the heat and started kicking the skins to get rid of them.

"Until you wake up girl" Alayne turned her head to where the voice sounded, remembered the old woman who belonged to, the one who once lost her head for the crime of serving the Stark house, couldn't help jumping out of the bed and hugging her.

"I'm so sorry Septa, it was all my fault," she whispered as the woman ran her fingers through her hair.

"You have nothing to lament sweetness, the forest is not a place for the Ladies, your family should never have allowed you to wander alone" the woman sounded between affectionate and annoyed by the mistake of the supposed family "I understand that you are scared my girl, but that it is an appropriate behavior, Ladies or not, girls must learn to maintain their composure" Alayne immediately retired, grateful for not having cried, Septa Mordane was starting to get impatient.

"I regret my bad behavior" she replied softly but in reality he didn't, she had missed her septa even though the woman in front of her didn't seem to recognize her at all, _why would she recognize you? You are just a bastard, a bastard_, Alayne didn't understand what was happening now she just wanted to scream, cry and run but she didn't want to disappoint her septa, she couldn't do it.

"You're as beautiful as Lady Sansa, you look so much like her" she say very proud of the girl named Sansa_, I don't understand, maybe the nightmare is not over_, Alayne felt her head was spinning again, she was Sansa or she was once, _were you really?, were you really the daughter of Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn?, Robb's sister?..._ the thought terrified her_, of course I was!_ Responded furiously to the voice in her head, _well, you aren't anymore, you are Alayne stupid girl, don't forget,_ that the other voice answered, the voices kept fighting for who knows how long, causing a headache until the septa spoke again.

"It's polite to answer the compliments sweet girl, now you must make yourself presentable, Lord and Lady Stark want to talk to you" Alayne barely paid attention to the woman, almost everything happened without her noticing, the septa and a maiden helped her to bathe, in one of her few conscious moments she prayed that her hair wouldn't fade, it did the maid lent her a clean dress, although it was a little short, well above her ankles, Alayne didn't care anyway but Sansa would never have agreed to wear something like that.

"No, please, it's been very ... heat" Alayne protested when the maid tried to put her fox fur cape over her shoulders, the woman nodded politely before informing her that Lord and Lady Stark were at the door, she felt she was about falling off the chair but nodding anyway, the septa and the maid withdrew, letting in the beautiful Lady Catelyn and the honorable Lord Eddard.

"How do you feel Alayne?" Alayne, he called her Alayne not daughter, _because you aren't his daughter._

"Good, My Lord" call Lord Eddard anything that isn't father hurt her as if put a burning coal on her tongue "you have been very kind to let me into your castle my lord, thank you" Lady Catelyn smiled at her and that made her that the pain diminished a little.

"Do you belong to a House? It could be helpful to find your parents." Lord Eddard pretended to be kind but the pain in her tongue extended to her stomach.

"N-no my lord, I'm a bastard, a Stone" Lady Catelyn's smile disappeared and Alayne felt her cheeks turn red "my parents died a long time ago" wasn't a lie, at least it wasn't completely.

"I'm so sorry Alayne, so you're a Stone, how did you get to Winterfell?" Alayne would also like to know.

"Someone brought me," she answered, knowing what next question was.

"Who?_" I would also like to know that_.

"A man, he told me he was my real father but he was lying" Lord Eddard's expression hardened "I grew up with septas in Gulltown my mother entrusted me to the faith before she leavin,g so they trained me to become a Septa too" she added, that was the story of Alayne after all.

"Who was that man Alayne? If we found him we could judge him" he sounded confident and sincere, even so Alayne could feel the threat in his voice but she knew it was not for her.

"I don't know, My Lord he used many names, I only know he is a merchant" the lie slipped easily, long ago she was lying.

"Is there no one else then, family? I mean, my son says you called him brother" this time Lady Catelyn spoke, _because he is my brother_, she said to herself _he isn't, stupid_, the voice said, _Shut up!_, replied _Alayne, Alayne, Alayne_ she had no brothers.

"I had a brother, a long time ago ... he left with my mother" Alayne cringed a little "they didn't want to do it, but they got sick and then they ...is what to they told me" she couldn't thought about the stories she had heard about the red wedding, like the Freys and the Boltons had killed Sansa Stark's mother and brother.

"Oh, I'm so sorry honey, I'm sorry I've diverted the subject" Lady Catelyn apologized to her.

"It's nothing My Lady"

"My Lord, perhaps you should leave me a moment with her" said Lady Catelyn, Lord Eddard nodded to his wife, she was about to retire, then she remembered...

"My Lord, I am sorry for the audacity but ... could you send my apologies to your son? He was kind and tried to help me and I behaved unpleasant, I ... I was scared" Lord Eddard nodded but then looked at her strangely.

"How do you know he's my son?" he sounded surprised not angry, Alayne cursed her own stupidity before adding.

"He looks a lot like you my lord, I assumed he was your son just like the other boy" to her relief Lord Eddard smiled.

"If you wish, you can do it yourself, would you like to break the fast with my family?" she had dreamed about that the last two years but couldn't say that of course so she accept politely.

"Yes, my lord would be honored, thank you very much." Lord Eddard smiled at her before retreating, then Alayne turned to face Lady Catelyn.

Catelyn

Catelyn had to suppress the anger that accumulated in her body at the mention of her husband's bastard, even an unknown girl could notice the familiarity in them, she could never give her lord husband a son that resembled him, he knew that the girl had no intention of offending her, had to suppress a grimace when she heard her last name Stone, a bastard from Gulltown, but even if she was a bastard she looked like a sweet and gentle creature, _and beautiful_, Catelyn thought, _this girl looks like me, but she is more beautiful than I ever was or I will ever be._

"I'm very sorry for your situation, dear" had hurt the soul of the story of Alayne, a poor girl without a mother to take care of her "the man did you hurt?" Catelyn felt the need to ask.

"Not my Lady, he try but I ran and I got lost" the poor girl seemed so embarrassed that she felt a twinge of guilt for asking such an uncomfortable question, that's why she had asked Ned to leave.

"I understand, you said that I raise your faith, is not it? Why did you leave?" He asked, although he could sense his response.

"It was supposed to be a septa but ..." Alayne hesitated but Catelyn nodded to encourage her to continue, "I had to take care of the youngest children and I really liked doing it so I realized that I wanted to have my own babies someday, mine, with a good man and that he would love me".

"I understand" of course she did, never understood how a woman could give up being a mother, she was never happier than when she had Robb, her first child, in her arms "How old are you, dear?"

"I will four and ten soon, my lady"

"You are very beautiful" a small smile appeared on her lips.

"Thank you very much, my lady." Catelyn looked at her then and couldn't help but notice her blue eyes, like a Tully, although her hair was not, Alayne said she was born in Gulltown, Catelyn couldn't help but think of her uncle Brynden serving as a knight in The Vale, could Ser Brynden have fathered this girl ?, or her own father ?, Lord Hoster, in one of his trips, although it was possible Catelyn knew that both men would never abandon a daughter to her luck but not all men knew about the existence of his bastards, so she accept that it was possible that this girl could have some Tully blood in her, maybe because of an ancestor_, but why is she here? Did the gods want her to come?_, Catelyn didn't know what could be done with her, she simply did not have the heart to throw her away, they could send her back to Gulltown where she would be doomed never to be a mother, and probably would never be received back, there was a certain pride among the septa plus they could doubt from her maidenhead or she could end up with any peasant, she was too beautiful and good educated to marry any brute, even if she was a bastard she could get a decent husband, maybe an administrator or a third son.

"You said you were trained to become a Septa"

"Aye, My Lady"

"Do you know how to write?"

"Very well, my lady, I swear it and read and sew and make dresses" she had opened her eyes hopefully "I can also maths although ... I'm not very good at that" her cheeks turned pink, Catelyn knew that she was hurried and It was not right to do it without first consulting Eddard but Alayne looked as sweet as Sansa when she told her a story before going to sleep and did not want her to be sad again "I can also take care of babies... if they have one."

"It's okay Alayne can become a maid of my daughters, would you like? You could also help with the baby, Rickon, although I warn you, is a bit ungovernable" the girl nodded with a smile.

"Well, Lord Eddard, invite you to break the fast with us, let me take you, you must be hungry".

"Thank you very much" she stood up and was almost as tall as she was, Alayne seemed to hesitate before embracing her, it was not proper behavior for a bastard to hug a Lady but she couldn't deny it, she felt a strange sadness when her arms wrapped around her, _poor girl, when it will have been the last time her mother embraced her?_, Alayne withdrew in embarrassment looking at the floor.

"I'm so sorry, my Lady, my behavior was inappropriate"

"Don't worry, now let's go to the great hall, it's too late" the girl continued to admire every detail of the castle, _poor, it must be the first time she sees one_, so she couldn't help but think of Jon Snow, what would become the Bastard if her husband had never brought him to Winterfell?, _Would he live with his mother in a brothel?, Or would he have had a noble mother?_, the thought twisted his insides, she preferred to think that the woman was some cheap whore, _would it be a beggar or a small thief?_, that did not matter when they arrived at the room could see Jon Snow, the bastard, sitting next to her children, between Robb and Arya, a bastard among her legitimate children laughing as if he were one of them_, I'm about to seat another bastard on the table_, she decided to look away.

"My Lord" greeted her husband, as soon as her children noticed Alayne, the sound of laughter was changed by absolute silence, it occurred to her that maybe they looked very similar to each other, Sansa blinked and was when she dropped her cup, she was even paler than the rest of her brothers.

"My Lady," Eddard answered as they sat down, Alayne was between her and Bran who looked at her with huge confused eyes. "She is Alayne, I have invited her to break the fast with our family, I hope you behave politely with her."

"Yes, father," her children chanted with the confusion marked on their faces, it was a good breakfast, milk, bread, cheese and apple cakes, if Alayne was hungry she did not show it, she ate with the grace of a queen, when she finished her meal thanked their politely and Catelyn told her she could go out the yard with the other children.

"My lord, if it doesn't bother you, I have decided that Alayne should become Arya's maid, she seems to know very well the behavior of a lady and perhaps our daughter needs the influence of someone else besides her sister".

"I think it's a great idea, my lady, Robb proposed something similar a while ago." Robb? The gods didn't allow her son to take notice her, although beautiful would never be suitable for him, Catelyn dismissed the idea, the boys of three and ten years were looking at pretty girls all the time and probably his son just wanted to behave like a hero saving a defenseless girl.

"Is noble on his part, as kind as his father" Ned smiled tenderly and approached her to kiss her sweetly on the lips.


	4. Chapter 4

Jon

As soon as they left the courtyard Robb went to look for Ser Rodrick and Bran had gone climbing, leaving him alone with Arya, Sansa and Alayne. Arya and specially Sansa began to look at Alayne without hiding their confusion, Jon could see the discomfort of the girl even though she only smiled kindly and looked at the ground shyly, they were as silent as if they were in the crypts, occasionally Alayne and Sansa would stare at each other only to withdraw their eyes when they feared being discovered, the silence was interrupted when Lady Stark announced that Alayne would become Arya's maid because she had been training to be a Septa and knew the behavior of a proper lady, even in that she looks like Sansa, Jon thought, the girl smiled at his little-sister although Arya looked confused and distrustful, if her job was to turn Arya into a Lady Jon felt sorry for she, father had told them that she was an orphan, Robb had asked him if she could stay and Jon joined him shortly after but Lord Eddard had told them that she was not a pet and it was up to her what would happen next, both agreed with that, when Septa Mordane appeared in the yard to take the girls to her sewing class Jon couldn't help but wonder if she was ever a girl as young and beautiful as Alayne, of course she must have been young but beauty ... Jon couldn't imagine, the Septa was a woman so bad-tempered that sometimes it was hard to imagine that she wasn't always an old woman wrinkled and badly character, she was that way since Jon had a memory, her kindness was reserved for Lord and Lady Stark, Robb and above all Sansa, she seemed to be the only person for whom the Septa felt true affection, sometimes Jon thought he pleased the Septa even less than Lady Stark, he couldn't help but wonder if Alayne had ended up the same as Mordane had she become a septa, though he didn't believe it, her manners seemed more respectful than petulant and her look was sadder than angry, actually Jon thought that her eyes were the strangest thing about her, he saw her sitting leaning on one of the walls, Jon couldn't tell if she looked confused or impressed, she wasn't longer looking at the floor now she looked up at the towers that stood as high as if they could touch the sky, she seemed extremely calm as she looked the towards high, her hair that looked almost as dark as the coal was loose and the wind made the strands fly over her face although she didn't seem to care too much, Jon didn't even notice at what moment she had stopped looking at the towers and her gaze met his, he looked away embarrassed and pretended to be checking a sword but saw her get up and walk towards where he was.

"My Lord?" Jon forced himself to look up from the sword and face her.

"I'm not a lord, you can call me Jon" he said, she smiled and nodded.

"I'm glad to meet you Jon, my name is ... Alayne" he already knew his name even so he nodded.

"That's pretty." Sansa had once told him that the Ladies liked to be complimented on their names, she was right because Alayne smiled, her smile was tender and broad but didn't express more joy than her eyes did instead, Jon thought she looked even sadder.

"Thank you, it's kind of you" she continued smiling sadly.

"It's nothing"

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior in the forest, you tried to help me and I behaved shamefully with you, I'm sorry" the turn of the conversation unnerved him, he hadn't expected her to apologize for being scared, but apparently the Ladies were being taught to apologize for all.

"There's nothing to apologize, you were just scared there's nothing wrong with that" she gave him a look full of sadness, Jon was starting to feel a little uncomfortable not because he did not know what to say or act politely, but because she seemed to have gotten sadder since they started talking and Jon couldn't help but feel that it was his fault even though that didn't make any sense.

"Forgive me, please" she almost sounded supplicant, made his conversation even stranger, usually it was he who asked for the apologizes.

"I forgive you, although I insist there is nothing to apologize" he smiled and she returned the smile, seemed a little more animated, Alayne seemed to see something behind him because his smile disappeared, Jon turned and saw Theon Greyjoy walking towards them with his smile from ear to ear.

"The beautiful Lady has already awakened" he told looking at Alayne and ignoring his presence.

"I'm not a lady," Alayne answered dryly.

"You don't look like a peasant so ... A bastard?" Theon asked, his smile only widening further.

"That's right, I'm Alayne Stone" the girl answered seriously, Stone was the surname of the bastards in the vale, remembered Jon, as was Snow in the north.

"This is a good place for bastards, Alayne Stone, Jon Snow will tell you that, you can be very good friends" he said trying to make fun of both, Jon wished to punch him that was common lately, but Alayne didn't flinch at all.

"I hope so," she replied looking into his eyes, Theon looked at her confused but did not stop smiling.

"Well you know what the folk say about bastards ..."

"Take off!, Greyjoy" Jon said sharply, Theon was crossing the limits, Jon felt the anger growing in his body.

"I don't obey you, bastard, remember your place," he replied haughtily.

"His place? he lives here, maybe you should go and find yours" Jon couldn't believe what he had heard and apparently Theon either, for a moment the smug smile disappeared from his face.

"Did you say something little girl?" Theon asked his smile returned but this it was the most feigned smile had seen him give.

Alayne put a big smile on her face and couldn't tell which smile was more false now, if Theon's or hers "I think I expressed poorly, My Lord, what I meant was that there is a lot of space for everyone in this yard "she sounded so innocent that for a moment Jon believed her, but after he saw her eyes were pure steel there was nothing of the sadness and shyness of a few minutes ago.

"Jon!" Jon had never been happier to see Robb, his interruption and the own confusion prevented Theon from responding, his brother running towards them unconcerned, Alayne smiled at him and Jon thought that smile was sincere.

"What happened?" he ask Robb, trying to ignore what happened a while ago, he didn't want Alayne to get into trouble.

"Alayne, Theon," she said in greeting to them before replying "Nothing, that is, nothing serious, ser Rodrick says that the lessons will start later today, it seems that Beth is a little sick and wants to accompany her himself".

Theon looked from Robb to Alayne and from Alayne to Robb with a serious and strange expression, Alayne seemed to have forgotten that he was present and Jon was trying to do the same.

"Is it a bad thing?" Alayne asked worriedly as if she knew the girl.

"No, she just ate too many sweets," Robb reassured her.

"And what will we do now?" Jon asked his brother.

"I don't know, Theon, Jory has been looking for you, something about paying him what you owe or something," Robb said to his friend, Theon took his eyes from them and nodded to Robb before leaving without saying a word.

"Did I miss something?" he ask confused.

"Theon being Theon, nothing new" Jon answered, his brother hesitated but nodded, he was standing next to Alayne and it was amazing how much they looked_, like brothers_, Jon thought, although Alayne would also look like Bran's sister and Sansa's of course, but Robb and Alayne looked the same age and if Alayne had reddish hair they could easily pass for twins, _maybe that was what Theon saw_, Jon thought, the eyes above all seemed exact copy although the look couldn't be more different.

"Should we go with Maester Luwin?" Robb asked with a grimace, Jon couldn't help but do the same, it was early and he still didn't really want to stick his head in the books, Alayne seemed to notice their dilemma because she gave a little giggle.

"We could teach her the castle," Jon suggested, sooner or later someone would have to do it, so why not them?

"Aye, it's a good idea, would you like?" Robb ask, Alayne hesitated a moment before answering.

"I would love, My Lord but ... what happens if Lady Stark needs me for something" Jon could understand that she didn't want to make a bad impression even though she really wanted to accept the invitation.

"Then you will need to know the castle well so you don't get lost when Lady Stark or Arya needs you" he said trying to cheer her up, she smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, I would love," she said politely and started to follow them, she and Robb seemed to have made an unspoken agreement to pretend to have met under normal circumstances because none mentioned what happened at the wolfswood, she told him that she was from Gulltown and that she was in a trip along with other septas and it was lost and he never asked if she had brothers.

"I guess this must seem like a strange place to you, the folk say that the north is very different to the south" Jon asked curiously, he had never left the north.

"The north is much better" she stared at the ground, then shook her head "I mean, it's a very dirty place plus people seem kinder here" then Jon remembered Theon making fun of her and Jon feared he would go to Lord or Lady Stark to complain, 'he would not do that, right? Robb would be mad at him, besides father would not throw Alayne for that', yes, father would understand that she only said it because Theon was being an idiot.

"Aye and the castle looks better with the snowfall, have you ever seen snow?" Robb asked and she shook her head excitedly.

"Do you think it will snow soon? ... My lord" Alayne seemed embarrassed to have addressed Robb more as a friend than a lord although he didn't seem to have noticed it at all.

"It's likely, the cold is starting to rise," Robb replied.

"Winter is coming" Jon added, his brother nodded and she seemed somewhat worried, then they continued to show her the castle, she liked the glass gardens very much, they also showed her the broken tower although she looked a little pale when they got to that part of the route, then they took her to Godswood, Jon couldn't tell if she was impressed or uncomfortable by the heart tree, even so she went over and put a hand on the carved faces.

"They are very beautiful," she flattered softly, his expression now seemed melancholy and sad at the same time.

"Do you follow the new Gods right? The faith of the seven?" Robb asked.

"Is there a difference?" her voice was almost a whisper "they never really listen and if they do ... you do not know why or what they expect you to do"

Alayne

Alayne had loved the tour of the castle, was even more beautiful than in her dreams and she liked talking with Lord Robb and Jon_, my brothers, no, Sansa's brothers_, she couldn't forget her place, she had done it time with the traitor and that could get her in trouble, she still didn't know if this was happening or was still trapped in a strangely cute dream even if that's it, she decided she wanted to stay, the tour had been a happy thing until they reached the Godswood, _Were you? Did you send me?,_ she asked them, Alayne put a hand on one of the carved faces as if she could know the truth or as if they could listen to it.

"The trees are very beautiful," she said when she realized that the boys expected her to say something.

"You follow the new gods, right? The faith of the seven?" Lord Robb asked kindly.

"Is there a difference?" she replied in a low voice, she didn't want to offend the gods "they never really listen and if they do ... you don't know why or what they expect you to do" seemed to have confused them, because they looked at her strangely, _What should I do? Can I save them?, please tell me I can save them_, she beg them in silence, didn't know what to do, but knew she wanted to save them all_, or is it a dream?_, ask them, if it was a dream it would be cruel to wake her up even though she knew it couldn't be a dream, the dreams were not so long, and if it was a dream she would be Sansa no Alayne and the traitor would not be here.

"The gods are complicated" Jon agreed "but they have purposes for us, for each one, that must be a difficult job" if that was his job Alayne couldn't understand why they gave this purpose to her, she look at Robb, _they should to have given it to him or father they would know what to do_, Alayne thought.

"Our father always says that if the gods gave us everything we asked, after a while we would find more curses than blessings" Robb added and Jon nodded, Alayne didn't know what to think about this but imagine the gods fulfilling the requests from the Lannisters or the Freys and the image terrified her, but she didn't have time to answer, when Alayne looked towards the tower she saw a small figure climbing, the figure looked so small that Alayne felt dizzy just seeing it.

"He will fall, you must go for him, make him come down!" she was terrified, she would never forgive herself if Lord Bran fell, _not again_, she thought, but the boys just laughed while she looked at them angrily.

"Bran never falls" said Lord Robb "don't worry he's like a little squirrel".

"How can you let your little brother do that? Something can go wrong, it could slip!" her voice started to sound like a shriek but they kept laughing, if she were Sansa she would pull their hair so they would take her seriously but she wasn't Lady Sansa, she was just a bastard and a maid had to learn her place, _Alayne, Alayne, Alayne, don't forget who you are._

"As Robb said, Bran is a little squirrel climbed before walking, besides father already surrendered and even Lady Stark's punishments can't stop him from climbing" Jon smiled at her with his white teeth for a moment Alayne wanted to slap him, but he was right, no it mattered how much they punished Bran he would keep climbing, maybe it would be different this time, then he remembered his conversation about the gods, _why did the gods give Bran such dangerous talent?, _Alayne wondered.

"You will not tell Lady Stark, right?" Jon asked worriedly.

"I should, but I will not" she didn't want Bran to hate her but she would try to talk to him anyway, he was always a lovely child, he would surely listen to her "you have to talk to him, put some rules, he should not go up so high or in the cloudy days, what if it rains?, he could slip.

"You're right," Lord Robb admitted. "Do you want to meet baby Rickon?" Alayne couldn't help the emotion even though she knew Robb was just trying to distract her from Bran, the baby was the only one she hadn't seen, he was too young to wake up so early .

"I'd love it" Robb and Jon smiled at her and took her to Rickon's room, she saw a small boy pulling his nanny's hair, Robb dismissed the woman so they could be alone.

"Hello baby" Rickon gave her a smile letting her see her baby teeth, Sansa liked to play that this baby was her own baby, until he started to cry, then she would return it to her nurse or her lady mother to calm him down, she hug the boy and run a hand through his coppery hair.

"He's an adorable baby right?" Jon asked smiling

"The most adorable I've ever seen, how old is he?" She realized she did not know what year it was, although she had deduced it, she wanted to know exactly how much was missing for the king's arrival.

"Two years, he completed them recently"

"And you? How old are you?"

"Three and ten" replied Jon "Robb will turn four and ten into four moons"

"I will also be four and ten years old soon" she said forcing a smile, she had forgotten that Alayne was older than Sansa Stark when Lady Catelyn asked her, even so it was very close to Sansa to fulfill them, less than a moon shift, of course that no one else could know, but Petyr had told her they would celebrate together, that he had something special prepared for her, for some reason the thought sent chills down her spine.

"How could you!" a girl's cry attracted her attention, Lord Robb and Jon went to the door, Alayne laid the baby in the crib and approached them.

"I-I'm so sorry Sansa, I'll try to fix it." Alayne felt a twinge of guilt at hearing the voice.

"No, you can't, you have blacksmith's hands as Septa Mordane says, you always ruin everything!" Alayne was angry, that wasn't true, it was Sansa who ruined it and Arya who died.

"Seven hells, what happened now?" Lord Robb looked at them with his eyes rolling, as if he was used to doing this every day, for a moment Alayne didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry, she still remembered that look, _the look of elder brother._

"My dress!, I was working on it all week and she ruined it!" Said the angry girl crossing her arms, Alayne saw Jon stir uncomfortably, he never intervened when they argued, only Robb did.

"It was not apropos, I just wanted to help you" Lady Arya said the last thing softly, Alayne remembered, this also happened in her other life, Lady Arya had tried to help Sansa in the embroidery and ruined it by accident, the threads had become tangled and most of the flowers embroidered around the chest had been unpicked.

"It's not true, you ruined it on purpose!", The girl was still angry and Alayne was beginning to feel her cheeks turn pink, that dress seemed her so stupid now.

"I can fix it" she offered, she just wanted Sansa to stop screaming, Lady Arya seemed to be on the verge of crying, "I know how to make these stitches ... or I can make her another dress if you want Lady Sansa".

"Are you sure you can work with this cloth?, It is very delicate and expensive" asked distrustfully and looking her from head to toe, Alayne looked what she was wearing, wearing a cheap dress that was a bit short, then understood his distrust , 'she think I've never used anything nice'.

"When we met her she had a dress as nice as yours could, surely fix it" Jon said trying to reason with her, Alayne felt ashamed when Sansa looked at him out of the corner of her eye, she wanted Lord Robb to confirm it.

"Yes, her dress was nice, I'm sure she'll be able to fix yours" said her brother and she nodded.

"Good but if y she ruin another dress I'll tell our Lady Mother" she said before retiring beating her skirts, Alayne remembered that in her other life Sansa hadn't addressed her sister for more than a week.

"Thanks," said the gray-eyed girl, looking at her timidly.

"There's nothing to be thankful for, Lady Arya" the girl distrusted her perhaps because she expected her to scream like her sister.

"You just avoided a drama worthy of a song," Lord Robb told her and the four laughed.

Alayne accompanied them back to the yard with the baby Rickon in her arms, saw Lady Arya hanging from Jon's neck while he laughed, remembered what he had said her a while ago, 'he said my name was pretty' remembered Alayne, Sansa had said him that once while trying to convince him to invite a girl to dance, Jon had told her that he didn't know how to talk to the ladies as an excuse and Sansa had told him to just praise their names because all the girls liked that , after discussing a bit more Jon had reluctantly agreed to invite a girl to dance while Sansa looked at him with a triumphant smile, the memory made her smile but her happiness ended when she saw Arya again, she looked so small ... Alayne try imagine her carrying a baby in her belly and the image horrified her, Alayne knew that the trueborn son to Lord Bolton had died and that his bastard son had become an heir, _perhaps it wasn't too bad, Mya and Jon are good people and they are bastards_, Alayne thought, but she knew that wasn't the case, _good men don't impregnated girls_, her Lady mother had once told her, very young girls often they died having babies, besides Arya would never want to marry a Bolton or Frey or Lannister.

"Come here Rickon!" Lady Arya extended her arms to the baby, Alayne was about to release him to run to his sister but then saw Theon Greyjoy approach and instinctively she hug the baby even stronger, didn't understand how Lord Robb could trust in him, she never did , not even when she was Sansa.

"Rickon?" the baby began to writhe and Lady Arya looked at her strangely for not letting go of her little brother, _You are Alayne remember your place_, reluctantly released the baby and saw him running with his small plump legs towards his sister_, you will not kill him, neither him nor Bran,_ she said to herself as she looked at the traitor, _before I'll kill you myself_.


End file.
